UN agencies assist thousands displaced

Humanitarian aid has started reaching thousands of civilians displaced by fighting between militiamen and the Congolese army in the northeastern district of Ituri.

"The aid is for children under the age of five who are the most vulnerable," said Roger Djiouhou, a protection officer with the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) in Ituri.

Each family with children will receive 1kg of high-energy biscuits.

"We must identify their needs and what aid to offer," said François Djissou, head of the UN World Food Programme in Ituri. "We must define an approach for their assistance. The WFP has already assisted other displaced persons in Beni, Komanda, Geti, Aveba, Katoni and Aveba. In the last month, we have distributed 495 tonnes of food aid to 55,000 people."

However, WFP food stocks are limited, he said. "In this case, they will either receive a half ration for 15 days, or priority will be given to the most vulnerable children and women, who will receive a month’s ration," Djissou said.

Djiouhou said: "We are going to provide aid in the form of water and sanitation latrines, and non-food items [tarpaulin tents, blankets, pans] and emergency education."

"We have registered a total of 1,546 households with 7,273 people at the displacement site in Dele [3km south of Bunia] coming from Tinda, Jumba, Ngaju, Kombokabo and Ibara," said Damien Muherya, head of a local NGO known as ADSSE, which is distributing aid to the displaced.

Thousands of displaced people started arriving in Bunia - the main town in Ituri - on 10 July after fleeing fighting between the army and militiamen of the Fronts des résistances patriotiques en Ituri (FRPI), linked to an alliance of different militia groups known as Mouvements révolutionnaires Congolais.

There was a militia offensive in Tcheyi, 100km south of Bunia, which came under militia control 12 days ago. The fighting has led to the deaths of at least 30 army soldiers and hundreds of militias, an army source in Ituri said.

The conflict in Ituri has killed about 60,000 people in the past six years and displaced hundreds of thousands others.

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